You will probably know the song: “The Number of the Beast” originally written by the founders of Heavy-Metal, Iron Maiden covered here in an amazing acoustic version by Zwan the super-group created by Billy Corgan from The Smashing Pumpkins in 2001 with members previously included in Slint, Tortoise, Chavez and a Perfect Circle. The acoustic cover was included as B-side of the first single “Honestly”.

The super-group lasted only one album (Mary of the Sea) and left us with a couple of nice songs that you will probably never find in any ranking of the 100 best songs of music history. The cover we share today is a bit apart from the full project and might be the only Zwan’s song to be remembered in the future, it’s THE Heavy-Metal anthem revisited only with acoustic guitars and Matt Sweeney singing on a very slow low tone gives the song a totally different dimension and atmosphere. The cover was featured on a great indie-rock movie: Spun whose soundtrack was directed by Billy Corgan which we might cover in the near future on Highly Recommended.

“I lived alone my mind was blankI needed time to think to get the memories from my mind

What did I see? Could I believe? That what I saw that night was real and not just fantasy

Just what I saw in my old dreams were theyreflections of my warped mind staring back at me?

‘Cause in my dreams it’s always there the evil face that twists my mind and brings me to despair”